Historic Moments in Tattooing
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
I've been doing some research into the history of tattooing for a project I'm working on and came across some amazing little facts. Here just a small sample of some of the things I've come across...
In the 1930s, archeologists discovered 12,000-year-old ink bowls and tattoo pens in a cave in Southern France. However, American archeologists refuse to believe that tattooing originated in France since it contradicts the popular Sissy Frenchmen Theory.
In the 1990s archeologists discovered the Ice Man of the Alps, a mummified human from 3,300 BC with tattoos on his lower back. We now know this is the first failed attempt at a “tramp stamp,” a type of tattoo later perfected by 21st-century sorority girls.
The body of Amunet, an Egyptian Priestess, was discovered in the tomb of Pharaoh Mentuhotep. Her body was covered with the names of various men and women, leading to a popular theory that she was the first person to suffer from massive tattoo regret.
Tattoos were reintroduced into popular western culture in 1777 when Captain James Cook’s crew returned from Tahiti with native markings on their bodies. They also returned with the clap, symbolizing the reintroduction of venereal diseases into popular sailor culture.
In 1885, Marion Black got a tribal band tattooed on his bicep. His crew of murdering, thieving, raping outlaws all deemed it “too douchey,” resulting in the style being out of fashion for over a hundred years.
Anthony Michaels was the first person to cover every square-inch of his body with tattoos back in 1952. Halfway through he died from infection while getting his eyeballs tattooed but, as per his will’s instructions, the artist was made to complete the remaining half.
In 2005, Jeb Tyler unseated reigning “Worst Tattoo” champion Mary Bankler by getting a tattoo that made his belly-button look like the Sarlacc Pit from Star Wars. Ironically Mary had the same tattoo, but in a location that allowed her to hide it at the beach.
In the 1930s, archeologists discovered 12,000-year-old ink bowls and tattoo pens in a cave in Southern France. However, American archeologists refuse to believe that tattooing originated in France since it contradicts the popular Sissy Frenchmen Theory.
In the 1990s archeologists discovered the Ice Man of the Alps, a mummified human from 3,300 BC with tattoos on his lower back. We now know this is the first failed attempt at a “tramp stamp,” a type of tattoo later perfected by 21st-century sorority girls.
The body of Amunet, an Egyptian Priestess, was discovered in the tomb of Pharaoh Mentuhotep. Her body was covered with the names of various men and women, leading to a popular theory that she was the first person to suffer from massive tattoo regret.
Tattoos were reintroduced into popular western culture in 1777 when Captain James Cook’s crew returned from Tahiti with native markings on their bodies. They also returned with the clap, symbolizing the reintroduction of venereal diseases into popular sailor culture.
In 1885, Marion Black got a tribal band tattooed on his bicep. His crew of murdering, thieving, raping outlaws all deemed it “too douchey,” resulting in the style being out of fashion for over a hundred years.
Anthony Michaels was the first person to cover every square-inch of his body with tattoos back in 1952. Halfway through he died from infection while getting his eyeballs tattooed but, as per his will’s instructions, the artist was made to complete the remaining half.
In 2005, Jeb Tyler unseated reigning “Worst Tattoo” champion Mary Bankler by getting a tattoo that made his belly-button look like the Sarlacc Pit from Star Wars. Ironically Mary had the same tattoo, but in a location that allowed her to hide it at the beach.
Labels: humor
posted by Jason at
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